Vacuum polarization corrections to $μ^+μ^-$ spectrum

Abstract

The energy levels of the n = 1 and n = 2 bound states of the µ + µ − atom (true muonium) are calculated starting from a previously derived potential that correctly describes positronium to order α 5 . All electron vacuum polarization corrections on the true muonium levels are computed to the same α 5 order and a few of order α 6 are examined to get a sense of size of these contributions. Additional order α 6 contributions from the two photon and three photon annihilation processes are included in the evaluation of the ground state (1 3 S1 − 1 1 S0) hyperfine splitting.